By Neil Francis, Director of International Trade and Investment Operations, Scottish Enterprise
As the clock struck midnight on 1 January and the celebrations for 2020 began, the familiar sound of Robert Burns’ Auld Lang Syne would have been heard in countries across the world.
The global recognition of The Bard’s most famous work always serves as a timely reminder of Scotland’s reach and the international awareness of our country.
And today, that global recognition is being enhanced by Scotland’s unique products, which are exported globally and known for their quality.
At Scottish Enterprise we want more companies to take advantage of the awareness and goodwill there is for “Brand Scotland”, which is why one of our key priorities for 2020 will be enhancing our country’s international trading performance.
We start from a positive position. In January 2019, the Scottish Government announced that Scotland’s international exports (excluding oil and gas) increased by £1.9 billion to £32.4 billion in 2017. These figures represented the highest annual growth in our international exports since 2011.
In 2018/19, Scottish Enterprise supported £1.56bn of planned international exports from Scottish companies, well in excess of our original target. Whether it was a med-tech company selling into the US, an engineering firm with clients in continental Europe or a food and drink company exporting its world-class product into the Far East, Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International (SDI) offered technical advice and practical support that allowed businesses to reach their global potential.
Last year, our dedicated team held many engagements to make the exporting experience less daunting for firms. This took many forms, including hosting trade missions and exhibitions across the world for Scottish companies. For example, SDI organised a Scottish Pavilion at several high-profile trade events, including the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
And in November, SDI led a Scotland delegation to the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC). SDI highlighted the opportunities that continue to exist in the North Sea energy sector, promoted the world-class companies based in our country and explained how Scotland is leading the way to address the global climate emergency.
Closer to home, Scottish Enterprise hosted ScotExport 2019, Scotland’s flagship exporting event, in Glasgow in November. More than 300 delegates attended ScotExport, which brought together experts, advice and knowledge sharing to help companies grow their international sales. We were delighted to be supported by several partners on this event, including the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and the wider chamber network.
Our 2020 calendar will be equally busy. We are already planning Scotland’s role at the World Expo in Dubai, where we will showcase our strengths across the themes specifically focusing on trade and investment, culture and education and innovation. Other trade missions and opportunities will be announced throughout the year.
All these activities are designed to encourage more companies based in Scotland to consider exporting and to ensure these firms gain the full benefits of trading internationally.
It’s estimated that Scotland requires 7,000 extra exporters to match the best-performing UK nations and regions. We also need to help existing exporters grow their international sales by broadening their horizons and targeting new markets.
That’s why Scottish Enterprise’s Strategic Framework, Building Scotland’s Future Together, provides a real commitment to exports. For example, we will support Scottish exports worth more than £1.5bn, with a stronger focus on companies that offer the greatest potential to grow exports.
Working closely with regional partners, including local chambers of commerce, we identify the needs of local businesses and agree a forward programme of activity to support businesses to take their first steps into internationalisation.
We will also target specific markets that offer the greatest opportunity for Scottish companies, as per the Scottish Government’s export plan, A Trading Nation.
As part of this strategy, we are strengthening our network of overseas in-market trade experts by adding up to 15 in-market specialists focused on the 15 countries that make up two thirds of our export opportunities, and in the sectors that offer the “best bets” for growth.
We are also strengthening our GlobalScots – a worldwide network of entrepreneurial and inspirational business leaders, dedicated to supporting Scotland’s most ambitious companies – in these countries, and seek to build on the strength of Scotland’s alumni network and the wider Scottish diaspora. Specifically, we are looking to increase the current number of GlobalScots from 700 to 2,500.
Cultural icons such as Robert Burns have given Scotland an unrivalled platform when it comes to global awareness. Our reputation across the world for the quality of our products and the services our people provide is already in place. Through our commitment to exports, Scottish Enterprise will continue our efforts to supporting companies trading internationally, allowing even more global communities the opportunity to sample the very best Scotland has to offer.
